Opening in theaters this Friday is the inspiring film, Eddie the Eagle. To learn more about the main character Eddie and his coach, I interviewed Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton while they were here in NYC promoting the film.

Note: Hosted by 20th Century Fox, I was invited as media to the movie screening and press junket interviews. Any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

When I arrived Taron Egerton was being interviewed so I listened in while he shared a bit about

Meeting the real Eddie the Eagle

Taron Egerton He came out and visited us for a weekend and I got to spend some time with him before we started. So he finally said, "Don't be mean, you know? Do a good job and I'll see you on the other side." And that's kind of what happened. Then we watched the movie for the first time together, which, as you could imagine, was a fairly intimidating afternoon for me. But thankfully, he loved it.

But, we always wanted to do his story justice and treat him with great affection and respect. And I think we've achieved that

Drinking all that milk

Taron Egerton I actually do like drinking milk. My mum used to give me a glass of milk every night before bed when I was a little boy. Quite a lot of milk.

Learning how to ski jump

Taron Egerton It's a great sport. It's so, so specialized. It's this repetitive move that they do, but they spend so much time perfecting it, because any imperfection mean that you could be dead, you know? So, no. Alas, no ski jumping. We had a great team of ski jumpers. We couldn't even get stunt men to do it, because it's so special, so we had real ski jumpers - Germany and Romanians.

I actually learned to ski for the movies. I had never skied before. But I didn’t get very good at it. So it looked like I'd been doing it for three days. But, it was great to learn and I actually did start to get the knack of it. But no, I won't be competing in the Winter Olympics any time soon.

Then I had the chance to ask Hugh Jackman about his role as the coach.

Onica {MommyFactor}: I have a question about the coach. I know that he wasn't based on a real person. And you played him very differently then other coaches in movies. What was the process for that? Did you reference something or did you just have an idea?

Hugh Jackman: Right.

You know, he was in the script pretty much, in a way, as written. But that was the writer, I think, very cleverly realizing that when you have a character who is essentially on his own a lot, he might have had seven or eight different people that he asked advice from, who helped him out for a day or two.

But in a movie, you can't really have seven or eight characters. But through my character, you can ask and challenge Eddie on the questions the audience are asking. Like, what are you thinking? And, also just say, "Man, you've got to start this when you're five." And so it's a good plot device.

Taron Egerton: There's only so much of me falling over you want to watch.

Hugh Jackman: There's also kind of a great subplot to, I suppose redemption and also how friends can bring the best out in each other. And these two very different people, are actually both outsiders. Both struggling in a way, and they are kind of victorious at the end. But, the coach character's completely fictitious.

Hugh Jackman: I actually based the coach off a guy called Ginger Baker. I don’t know if you've ever seen a great documentary called Beware of Mr. Baker. He was a drummer for Cream in the '70s, and regarded as the best drummer of all time.

But outside of drumming, like complete reprobate. Complete sort of, just everything wrong. And if it wasn't for drumming, he would have been in jail when he was 15, 16. You know, he had a very tough life. Mad man. So I kind of based it off that.

As you can imagine it was great interviewing Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton about their roles in Eddie the Eagle. They did a great job bringing the story to life and you'll love watching them in this heart warming film.

EDDIE THE EAGLE – IN THEATERS FRIDAY

Inspired by true events, Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out.

With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

Eddie the Eagle is the lovable underdog with a never say die attitude.